Description
Agrarian Puerto Rico provides a comprehensive reassessment of rural economy and society in Puerto Rico during the critical period of 1899–1940, following the Spanish-American War and the island’s transition to American colonial rule. Authors César J. Ayala and Laird W. Bergad draw on extensive archival research and primary sources to reconstruct the agricultural landscape, labor systems, and social structures that defined this era.
The book challenges traditional historiographies by exploring how Puerto Rico’s agrarian economy functioned under changing imperial governance, examining the shift from sugar production, the role of peasant farmers, land tenure patterns, and the emergence of rural social movements. Through detailed analysis of regional variations and local economies, the authors illuminate the experiences of rural workers, landowners, and merchants, revealing how agrarian societies adapted to modernization pressures and colonial policies.
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